"Sure, but not tonight. I need to get home."
He checks his watch. "I guess it is getting late. I'm glad we did this. It was nice having you over."
We get up from the table.
"Can I help you clean up?" I ask.
"Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it. Don't forget the rest of your potato salad."
"You can keep it. I made extra so you'd have some left over."
He smiles. "I was hoping you'd leave some behind. That was damn fine potato salad."
"Thanks. It's been good to get back in the kitchen. I even started watching those cooking shows again."
"That's good to hear," he says as we walk to the door. "I know how much you used to like those."
"Goodnight, Lou. See ya tomorrow."
"Drive safe."
"I will."
When I get back to the house, I'm tempted to go next door and see Nash, but I don't. He's busy with the renovations and I get the feeling he doesn't want to see me anymore outside of work. I knew he'd be mad at me when he found out I'd been lying to him. I'm sure he's also mad because he told me something very personal, thinking it would make me talk to him, but then I didn't. I couldn't. I still can't. Because I really don't know what to say. I told him what happened. What else does he need to know?
The week continues, but instead of spending all my time at Nash's place like I used to, I only go over there during my work hours; an hour in the morning and a couple hours in the afternoon. We have dinner separately instead of together. Now that Nash has working appliances, he doesn't need to use my kitchen to chill his food or cook his meals.
I miss having dinner with him, but doing so would interfere with the professional relationship I told him I wanted. So would kissing him, even though I'm dying to kiss him again. I swear he purposely walks around shirtless just to tempt me, and it works. I'm beyond tempted, but so far, I've kept myself from acting on those temptations. And so has he. He's stopped flirting with me and doesn't even attempt to kiss me.
He also hasn't pushed me to talk, or asked me any questions about my family or what went on last year. Nothing.
On Friday afternoon, I'm going through stuff in Nash's garage, which is hot and stuffy, even with the garage door open. I go in the kitchen to get some water. The kitchen is almost done and looks amazing. It's hard to believe it looks this good given how bad it looked before.
"You have any plans for tonight?" I ask Nash, filling my glass from the new faucet he installed.
"I'm going to hear some music. There's a bar in the next town over that has a band playing tonight."
"That sounds fun."
I should ask if I could go with him. Of course, that's assuming he'd want me to go, which obviously isn't the case since he didn't invite me.
My phone rings as I'm drinking my water. It's Trina.
"Hi, Trina."
"Hey, I'm back in Chicago and I'm coming down to see you tomorrow."
"What?" I set my water down. "No, you can't. I'm busy."
"Doing what?"
"I have to mow the lawn and clean the house," I say, talking really fast. "I'm really busy. You can't come here."
"Callie, I haven't seen you for months and I hardly ever get home so I'm coming to see you whether you like it or not."
My heart's racing but I try to stay calm. "Then let's meet somewhere. We'll meet at that town we met at before. That way you won't have to drive so far."
"I don't mind driving. I'll see you tomorrow."
"No! Wait! My house is a mess. I need time to clean it. Let's just meet at the coffee shop where I work. We'll meet at eleven for lunch."
She sighs. "Okay. Whatever. See you then."
I put my phone away and notice Nash staring at me. "Your friend's coming to visit?"
"Yes. And as you heard, she's not taking no for an answer."
"You don't want to see her?"
"No. We were friends in high school but we're not anymore, so I don't know why she wants to come here."
"Maybe she wants to be friends again."
"She lives in New York now. It's hard to be friends with someone who lives halfway across the country."
Cat appears at Nash's feet. He picks him up and Cat nuzzles against him.
"How's my cat?" I ask, annoyed that Cat is so affectionate with Nash but shows zero interest in me.
"He misses you."
I laugh. "Yeah, right. He hates me."
"He was watching you out the window when you were in the yard the other day."
"That doesn't mean anything. Cats are always looking out the window."
He brings him over to me. "Here. Hold him."
"He'll just jump out of my arms."
"Callie." He gives me a stern look. "Take the cat. He can't be in here when I'm doing the caulking. Take him upstairs. He's got a cat bed up there."
He hands me Cat, then goes around me.
"You got him a cat bed?" I turn back and see that Nash is gone. He went out to the garage.